Hawaii Bowl Thoughts

I really haven't been avoiding posting here... I promise. I was just real busy at Christmas time (what with a family gathering and the Bowl at our house, followed by other family events pre- and post-Christmas, and then a couple days with an apparent stomach flu). Now that things have slowed down a bit, I'm back.

So, what worried me the most leading up to the game came true. The boys did not take care of the "rock" in Hawaii. East Carolina, on the other hand, was turnover-free for most of the year, but turnover-greedy when it came to their competition. So, the tale of the tape is - the Broncos lost a squeaker.

Now, I'm not one to belittle the team or competition. Fact is, the Pirates did what pirates do - pillage and plunder. The Broncos were just not ready for East Carolina's speed and athleticism (that Chris Johnson is phenomenal), and the Pirates were all-to-ready to prove themselves. We saw the "real" Broncos start to emerge in the second half, but one half of football just doesn't cut it.

I don't think the coaches are to blame. Knowing this coaching staff, I'm sure how dangerous East Carolina could be was drummed into the players' heads for an entire week. I'm just not sure how much the players really bought into it.

So, on to next year. The positives about this year are many. The team, as a whole, was fairly young, and many of them learned a heck of a lot this year. A loss in the final game of the season will leave the kind of taste in their mouths that should lead to extra hard work in the months to come. The last time it happened - 2005 - it lead to a far greater team effort in 2006 and eventually a big win in the Fiesta Bowl. Hopefully, history does repeat itself.

Stay tuned for more interesting tidbits during the approaching off season.